The Onyx Park Chronicles
by marykay120
Summary: Sophie has a great best friend, a sweet as can be boyfriend, and an awesome family... How does she manage when something mysteriously different happens to her?
1. The Palace

I walked through the doors of The Palace, a coffee shop I knew oh so well. The little bell rang when I opened the door, and a few people looked back to see who I was: Just a small teenage girl with a coffee addiction. I knew almost everyone here; I was a regular. I had been going to The Palace since I was thirteen years old (that was when I started to walk around town by myself).

"Sophie! Come over here and get you a cup of Joe!" Marti exclaimed across the room. Marti was the owner of The Palace. As far as I know, she has owned the place for years. She moved to Onyx Park in the 80's, which was before my time.

"Thank you, Marti." I walked over to the cash register. "I would like to have my usual."

"You have been ordering the same thing every day for three years… try something different, honey."

"No ma'am. I will stick to my French vanilla." I smiles and she handed me a warm cup filled with the best drink ever made. In return, I gave her three dollars. "You can keep the extra seventy cents. It might come in handy."

I sat down at a table beside the window. It was one of the rare days when it was sunny outside. I loved the sun. It turned from twenty-five degrees to fourty immediately because of the sun. I didn't like the cold either. I had spent my whole morning outside walking and enjoying getting my Vitamin D from the twenty minutes of sun, and I'm planning to get more.

I sat there for about twenty minutes just listening to my music player and thinking, when my best friend came up.

"Hey, chickie. Listen, Nick wanted you to come to the movies with us tonight." Bridgett said. I smiled. I could see through her as well as glass.

"No, he wants me to stay at home alone and in my sorrow." We both laughed. Her boyfriend doesn't like me that much.

"Fine. But I want you to come with me, Soph. You haven't been out anywhere with friends in a while. A long while." She argued.

"That is not true, and you know it."

"Have some fun before he comes back." How did she know he was stuck in my mind? "He'll be back to smother you some more, and then _I_ won't be able to talk to you." She said.

"Sound familiar?"

"Nick doesn't do that. He let's me talk to you…" she said softly. Nick thinks I am a bad influence of Bridgett. I used to party and hook up (not sex or anything…. Everything but, though) with a lot of guys before Jack and I got together. Although, now I don't do any of that. I haven't been to a real part since the week before school started… which was a semester ago.

"Well, I'm just waiting for him to get back. I miss him." Nick moved back to Lakeville, his old town that he live in before here. He moved here last year for his grandmother. She was sick, and so his mother and father grabbed their stuff and went. She got better back in April, and they moved back to Lakeville in June. He comes and sees her (as well as me) every chance he gets.

"Come on…. Please, Soph." Bridgett pleaded.

"Fine…"

"Great! I promise, you won't forget it! It'll get you all hyped up for your love fest tomorrow night!" She winked at me, and I ignored it. Well, now I have actually something to do tonight. How fun. "But, Soph. Sorry to just leave like this, but I've got plans. With Nick. So, bye little love drunk bestie!"

I hated it when she called me that. Jack and I had only been dating since May… seven months. We've only saw each other four times. Sure, he said he loved me. And I said it back. But I just don't think I do. I mean, I like him very very very very much. Eh, I should ignore it. That feeling almost always goes away when I see him.

I drank the rest of my coffee and walked out the door. I walked all the way to my house in the glorious sunshine. The door was unlocked (just as I always have left it), and the blinds were open as well. I walked up to my room to find my phone. I never take it to The Palace. I never have the need to. It's a distraction from all of the great things about that place that I love.

As I reached my room, I turned on the light to reveal my light red walls. On my bed stand, right where I left it, was my cell phone. I looked and, of course, has a text from Jack. He always tells me 'good morning' when he wakes up. I'm always the early bird between us two. I wake up, get on some clothes, and walk. Most of the time to the coffee shop. And he knows that. It used to bug him how I wouldn't reply, but he finally got used to it.

**Hey darling. Did U have a good nite?**

I always hated the way he texted. Un-proper English bugs me, for some odd reason. It was still sweet that he cared to text me, though.

**It was alright. I kind of woke up a lot, though.**

**Aww darling. If I wud have been there, U wud have slept all nite**

I had to go check on my mother and father, so I left that text sitting there for a while. I walked in their bedroom; It smelled like a blueberry candle and morning breath. Mother was in her bed asleep. I heard the shower on, so I was guessing Father was in there.

I slipped out of their room and back into mine. It was eleven-fourteen. I folded back the covers of my bed and slid in. They were so cold from where they had been empty for a few hours. I slipped into a slumber of dreaming about Jack, Bridgett, and Lakeville.


	2. GNO

Well, it was exactly one hour before we went to the movies. Guess what? I had nothing to wear. The only thing I really wore anymore was sweats and hoodies. I know that that's alright to wear to the movies, but I don't know why, I just wanted to look good.

I looked throughout my closet about twelve times before finding my green turtleneck sweater; which was great to wear because it was almost Christmas. I slipped that over my head, and my skin suddenly felt warmer (well, my torso). I struggled to find pants. Clothes were streamed all over my floor. I finally found some dress pants and slipped them on. They felt extremely warm on my cold bare legs.

I walked over to my bathroom, and pulled out my makeup box. My mascara was right on top. I struggled to get some on the brush; it was mostly gone. Apparently, according to Bridgett, I was a mascara maniac (my nickname in freshman year). I didn't disagree with that, either. I mean, I love mascara; it illuminates my eyes more (which my eyes aren't the prettiest thing on me).

I suddenly heard a car horn beep. Of course it was Bridgett and Nick. I grabbed my purse and walked calmly out the door. The air was cold, especially for December.

"Hey girly" Bridgett called, her head out of the car window. Nick was sitting in the passenger's seat, looking bored while staring at some nearby trees. "You ready?"

"You know it." I said as I hopped into the backseat. The car was warmer than the outside breeze, and for that I was glad. I looked over to Nick, wanting to break the ice between us. "How are you, Nick? I haven't seen you in a while."

"Alright. Busy, I guess." You could tell he really didn't feel like talking. Or it might have been he just didn't feel like talking to a person whom which he despised.

I felt the car go forward and everything out the windows started to move. Man, I hadn't been to the movies with friends in so long. I dug in my purse to find my cell phone. When I did, I pushed the round red button to turn it off. Jack would have to wait; this was my night.

About thirty minutes later we pulled into the parking lot of a huge brick building (that looked like it was from the 19th century, I might add). We walked out of the car, and we were debating what movie we were going to see. Bridgett wanted to see this romantic comedy, and Nick wanted to see this action movie. I, personally, wanted to see some gory scary movie, but I kept my mouth shut. It was nice to be invited, and I didn't want to intrude.

Although, that plan went down the metaphorical drain whenever Bridgett looked at me and asked, "I know you want to see the new 'Saw' movie, don't you? Nick, we're going to see that." She turned around and bought three tickets before Nick could even start to argue. I pulled money out of my purse and paid Bridgett for my ticket.

"Thanks, girl" I said to her as I handed her a twenty. I shot her a look that said 'keep the change.' She did so, and we walked in. With my twenty, she bought us all candy. Afterwards, we walked into the semi dark movie theater and took seats near the front; the place was crowded.

"That was _intense_!" Bridgett ranted. She was never one to get into scary movies, and you could tell this one really had an effect on her. It was quite amusing to me, having had this feeling on movies much more neck-hair-raising than this.

"I didn't know you could tell… halfway through the movie, your lips were locked to Nicky-poo's over there" I said and gagged. I missed that… Jack did none of these things. I've tried to kiss him during a movie once (well, it was a documentary that he decided we should watch), and he just shrugged me off, giving me a hint of slight aggravation, and giving his attention to the two men on the screen.

"She couldn't help it… I'm irresistible." Nick said as he wrapped his arms around Bridgett flirtatiously. He must have been in a great mood, because that was more than he's said to me the whole time we've been on the date.

We all got back into the car and buckled ourselves in. I suspected that Nick and Bridgett had a wild night ahead of them, but as for me, I just wanted to go home and call my sweetie. I heard the engine roar, and I got a little excited. I didn't want to open my phone now, because I knew I wouldn't like what I saw.

I got on my jammies, washed my face, and snuggled under my covers exhaustedly. My main objective was to keep myself from my phone as long as possible, even though my curiosity was killing me. After nesting myself a place in my bed, I figured there was nothing else to distract me for what hell lay ahead.

5 missed calls

9 new texts

All from the one person I adored most. I had no voicemail, thank goodness. That was what would have torn me up most. Hearing the angry voice of my true love. I looked at the text messages.

**Hey bb, wat r u doing?**

**R u busy**

**R u there**

**Y aren't u talking 2 me**

**Answer ur damn fone**

**I cnt take this, Sophie**

**Bitch, quit ignoring me**

**O, I c how it is**

**I will show you wen I get up there**

**I am not calling anymore, u slut, im waiting on u this time**

There not as detailed as they usually are, but they're still bad. I felt awful when he would send messages like that… he meant them too. He used to threaten me a lot worse on one of the few occasions when he was drunk. When he used to live here, it was worse. He would actually come to my house. Out of our whole relationship, he has actually hit me three times. Not that much, if you think about it. He has threatened me more, though.

Don't get it in your mind that he is an abuser, though. Out of the seven months we'd been together, only three hits. He only threatened me a few times a month, too. Just when I screwed up. I hadn't told anyone about it. I only had a small doubt that it wasn't my fault in the back of my mind. I didn't like to listen to that voice a lot. I still had hope that he'd change.

I knew the drill. After I got all of the calls/voicemails/texts, I had to call him. I braced myself for the hurt that lay ahead. I was pretty strong for a female my age, but the words he has said before have left me in my sorrow, crying. I dialed the nine digits of his phone number I knew by heart, and heard it ring. Five times.

"Yes?" His voice finally answered the phone.

"Hey." I must have let my sadness seep through.

"Oh, something wrong, baby?" He said through a dark, sarcastic tone. That. Right there. Made me want to burst into tears.

"I wanted to explain what happened tonight,"

"Oh, you do now? I've been calling for hours. And I'm coming home. Very soon. I want to be happy with you when I get there, and not be the third wheel to other people."

"You're not. I promise." He was so insecure about himself… That made me love him that much more. "I haven't had a night of fun in months, and Bridgett knew that. So she invited me to the movies with her and Nick. Nothing bad. I had to turn my phone on silent."

"Did anyone go as _your date _to see the movie?" He said that in a disgusted tone.

"Nobody. Jack, I didn't even want to go… Bridgett said I needed some fun, and she argued until I said yes."

"Should I believe you…" It wasn't really a question. He said it like he was pondering the answer. "Okay. Fine."

"Thank you. So much."

Hi tone changed drastically. "I can't wait to see you, baby. I have missed you so much. You know that's why I'm acting like this, right?"

"Yes, baby, I know."

And with that, everything was fine again.


End file.
